Storytimes are designed to encourage a love of reading, develop social interactions and stimulate imagination. Attending Storytimes allows children and their carers to experience stories and songs in a fun and interactive way while building the foundation for literacy.
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Every childhood program that our libraries offer are based on developing early literacy and school readiness skills. Every activity/craft we include is based on developing various gross-motor and fine-motor skills to help children develop the neural pathways in their brains.
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However, children presenting with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have different learning needs or experience anxiety at traditional Storytimes, not coping with the environment, with behaviour that is often a symptom of them not managing with various aspects such as the noise or the variation in routine.
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Accordingly, libraries have looked for an alternative – Inclusive Storytimes.
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Inclusive Storytimes run very similarly to traditional Storytimes but include sensory materials and picture exchange communication system cards (PECS).
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These sensory-friendly Storytimes provide a controlled environment for autistic children and their families to participate and enjoy the session as much as a neurotypical child can enjoy a regular Storytime. They ensure social interaction for children and families, and provide a much needed networking opportunity for parents and carers experiencing similar journeys. These sessions allow libraries to become a “safe place” and can form an essential part of strengthening community awareness around autism.
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Links to Resources
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\n\nSensitive Storytimes_July 2018
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